Eight grills were set up to cook burgers and hot dogs and eight, two-sided buffet tables would serve the influx of officers, she said.

Big Y supermarkets donated bottled water and soda, Performance Food Group provided food and Friendly's ice cream donated ice cream cups, along with help provided by the Salvation Army, city agencies and others, she said.

Court Square was cordoned off to the public with yellow tape. Inside the tape, four tents covered grill, buffet and seating areas. Green-T-shirt-wearing Big Y staff and others chatted while jazz music played on a speaker at the gazebo.

Students from the High School of Commerce held a banner "In loving memory of Officer Kevin Ambrose."

School adviser Dawn Rodgers, daughter of a retired Springfield police captain, said the students wanted to welcome those participating in the Ambrose commemoration.

"Being the daughter of a police officer, I know it certainly is a hard thing" to endure such events, Rodgers said.

At one large grill, three members of the Springfield code enforcement office were flipping hamburgers and hot dogbs

"This the least we can do is come here and volunteer our time," said Steven Desilets, the city's code enforcement commissioner. "It's heartbreaking. These guys (police) put everything they got on the line every day of the week."

Michael Jachym, city zoning administrator,said it was his "honor and priviledge" to help out at the reception.

Mark Hebert, deputy code commissioner joined the two.

Meamwhile, in Ludlow, police stopped traffic in the area of Center Street to allow thousands of officers leaving the funeral to gain easy access to the Massachusetts Turnpike.